Cadaverine is a platform chemical involved in the production of various products. Cadaverine can be synthesized via decarboxylation of lysine in microorganisms. Lysine decarboxylases are the enzymes that catalyze production of cadaverine by removing the carboxyl group from lysine. For example, in Escherichia coli (E. coli), cadaverine is biosynthesized directly from L-lysine by two lysine decarboxylase polypeptides, CadA and LdcC.
Currently, biosynthesis of cadaverine is performed using two strategies: fermentative production or in vitro enzyme catalysis. In a fermentative production of L-lysine approach, a lysine decarboxylase, usually CadA or LdcC, is added to a lysine producing bacteria strain (e.g., Corynebacterium glutamicum and E. coli) to extend the lysine biosynthesis pathway to a cadaverine biosynthesis pathway. Alternatively, for in vitro enzyme catalysis, bacteria can be engineered or induced to produce lysine decarboxylases, usually CadA or LdcC, which can then be used in conversion of lysine to cadaverine by decarboxylation.
However, production of cadaverine is currently limited and results in low yields. Therefore, there is a need for a process to produce cadaverine with higher yields.